For the week, the worst sectors according to Portfolio Grader are the Gas Utilities, Metals and Mining, Communications Equipment, Marine, and Energy Services sectors.
The Gas Utilities sector is trailing behind others this week, with 69% of its stocks (11 out of 16) rated a “sell”. Among Gas Utilities stocks, WGL Holdings (NYSE:WGL) andNorthwest Natural Gas (NYSE:NWN) are struggling with grades of D.New Jersey Resources (NYSE:NJR) also has a low grade of F. WGL Holdings is the worst stock in its sector, with the company’s share price falling 7.7% in the last 12 months. This is worse than the S&P 500, which has seen a 13.7% increase over the same period.
The Metals and Mining sector is dragging, with 67% of its stocks (61 out of 91) rated a “sell”. Among Metals and Mining stocks, Walter Energy Inc. (NYSE:WLT), Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE:TC), and Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE:CLF) are lingering near the bottom with grades of F. The worst performer in this sector is Cliffs Natural Resources, which saw its price sink 39.4% in the last 12 months.
The Communications Equipment sector looks weak, with 66% of its stocks (23 out of 35) rated a “sell”. Out of the Communications Equipment stocks, ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT), Adtran (NASDAQ:ADTN), and Polycom Inc. (NASDAQ:PLCM) are near the bottom with F’s.
The Marine sector is lagging this week with 63% of its stocks (5 out of 8) rated a “sell”. Kirby Corp. (NYSE:KEX), DryShips (NASDAQ:DRYS), and Diana Shipping (NYSE:DSX) are all currently earning D’s.
With 59% of its stocks (32 out of 54) rated “sell,” the Energy Services sector is struggling this week. Weatherford International (NYSE:WFT), Parker Drilling (NYSE:PKD), and Key Energy Services (NYSE:KEG) are pushing the sector down with F grades. Overall, Parker Drilling is the poorest performer in this sector. Its share price has dropped 24.6% in the last 12 months.
Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.
